Washington Township GOP establishment fires back at Nedd-backers

WASHINGTON TWP. - Angered by the formation of a
group known as the Long Valley Republican Committee, members of the
established, Washington Township Republican Club have taken the
offensive.

Members of the longstanding, Republican Club have claimed that
those involved in the Long Valley group are RINOs or Republicans In
Name Only.

The situation is tied in with the campaign for one, three-year
seat on the Township Committee. Candidates are Democratic
Committeeman Kevin Nedd and Republican challenger Jim Harmon.

The two were scheduled to meet in a forum sponsored by the
League of Women Voters debate, at 7 p.m., today, Thursday, Oct. 23,
at West Morris Central High School on Bartley Road.

Echoes of the 2007 primary campaign have surfaced with a new
website called kevinneddsaid.com. It was created by
two opponents of Nedd, Republican activist, R. Gregory Jones, and
two others who formerly supported Nedd.

Leading up to the 2007 primary, Nedd had posted signs claiming
to represent "Washington Township Republicans." The signs also
mentioned a website that was highly critical of Howard Popper, who
went on to win a seat on the Township Committee. Nedd had initially
not admitted that he had created the signs or the unflattering
website.

Former Independent

Nedd ran as an Independent three years ago and drew the
criticism of some Republicans when he switched to the Democratic
party this year.

Last week, former Republican Township Committeeman Walter Cullen
said he and others had formed a new group, Long Valley Republican
Committee, to back Nedd.

Jones said he created the kevinneddsaid website and that it is
sharply critical of Nedd's first three years in office. Jones said
he, Thomas Lotito and Jeffrey Koch were responsible for the site's
content.

Lotito is a Washington Township Republican Committee member.
Koch is a former member of the Board of Education and Jones is a
former Republican Club president and Planning Board chairman.

"We thought it was important to put it out in public in a
professional, attributed manner," Jones said. "Since I discuss and
write about politics and also work in town, I have heard from
hundreds of Long Valley residents that also feel hoodwinked by Mr.
Nedd."

Jones had broken away from the Republicans to back Nedd's
independent candidacy in 2005. But Jones has since become one of
Nedd's strongest critics.

Cullen said he had received many phone calls from people
offering support and thanking him for "taking a bold step" to
endorse Nedd.

As one of many letter writers this week to the Observer-Tribune,
Washington Township Republican Club President Chris Westrick said
Cullen's group is "nothing more than an eleventh hour invention
designed to resuscitate Nedd's failing campaign and to confuse
voters."

Westrick, newly elected to lead the club, said the new Long
Valley group is "a sham and a desperate campaign stunt."

Harmon said he would not use any "dirty tricks" in his
campaign.

"I'm committed to staying on the high road," Harmon said.
"People are tired of antics, by what my opponent has done. My
campaign is tough, but trickery is absolutely distasteful."

Harmon said he personally had nothing to do with the
kevinneddsaid website.

"I think those people have a right to post what they have. I
read through it last night and I didn't find anything that wasn't
correct," Harmon said.

Jones' website includes claims about Nedd's involvement in an
ethics suit brought against Harmon two years ago, when Harmon was a
member of the Board of Education. The suit was filed by former
school board member, Ruth McCurdy.

Nedd has filed his own complaints with the state Election Law
Enforcement Commission (ELEC) regarding Harmon.

"Mr. Harmon was extremely late in filing the necessary forms for
his campaign," Nedd said. "He was cited by ELEC and yet he still
got his 29-day forms in a day late. He's either irresponsible or he
just doesn't care."

Harmon said the ELEC report filings aren't a major issue.

"I also jaywalked across 42nd Street and I'm not going to
respond to that," Harmon said. "These are just minor technical
issues that are easily resolved."

Nedd said Harmon's ELEC 29-day filing (prior to the election)
should have listed all contributions and expenses incurred to that
date.

"However, there is nowhere to be seen a report on the cost of an
ad in the Fall Festival program. Whether he paid for that or still
owes, he's required to report it," Nedd said.

The Fall Festival is an annual event held in conjunction with a
fall parade.

Harmon has said that Nedd botched negotiations regarding Mendham
Township's involvement with Washington Township's regional police
and emergency dispatch service. Mendham Township subsequently
withdrew and signed on with the Morris County communications
system.

Harmon cited a letter from a former Mendham Mayor Richard Krieg,
that said "we found we simply could not deal with Mr. Nedd on a
professional basis."

Harmon said Nedd's "arrogance" led to the loss of the contract
with Mendham Township.

Nedd said Mendham Township withdrew because it could save money
with the county system. He said Krieg was just being political in
his statement.

"He's a Republican, I would expect him to say that for a
Republican candidate," Nedd said. "The fact of the matter is that
Mendham Township wouldn't accept an equal share of the cost of
services based upon the number of calls they had in previous
years."

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